4 things you have to do to survive & succeed in Corporate America

April 20, 2017

I’m celebrating because today marks my 4th year working in Corporate America.

For me, like most millennial college grads, I settled for the first job that recruited me fresh out of college. I was thankful to get recruited just 3 short months after graduating, that felt like a lifetime of being poor! It was for the insurance company, Humana, and I used my pharmacy technician license that I picked up in college to make a living.

I worked in a department that rarely anything happened, except people getting fired, EVERY DAMN DAY. Listen to me, the TURN OVER RATE was high, it was as if you see a box & wonder if it’s you next!

The actual position was data entry, which was a major plus for me because there was no external person interaction. With that kind of pressure in a production based environment, you can tell how elite I had to make myself in order to excel and remain on the payroll! These 4 tips are how I’ve continued to excel & thrive in corporate America.

LET YOUR WORK SPEAK FOR ITSELF

While working at Humana, in a production based environment, I trained my brain to always go above and beyond the expectation. Being evaluated based upon your stats monthly, it was difficult to get out of a hole once you started digging it with mediocre work. If I knew that I was required to submit x number of documents a day, I would submit 60% of them before noon and the remaining 40% + more before going home. This would give me wiggle room to show that I was capable of doing what they ask and then some, and afforded me extra time to relax. Focus, Push through, and overachieve, the work never goes unnoticed.

WORK HARD UNTIL EVERYTHING IS COMPLETE

There is no point in showing up if you aren’t going to do your best. You aren’t wasting anyone’s time but your own and you seriously don’t have that much of it to waste. If you are hoping to transition into a role that requires more from you, you have to show that you can deliver. If you’re the first to leave the office at the mention of PTO or leaving early, you can guarantee you won’t be considered for greater opportunity. Growth and change doesn’t happen overnight, and you have to stay diligent, put in the work and then some, before you can really see results in your work.

Adapt to & Encourage Change

Change is SO good. The faster you start adapting and encouraging change, the quicker your organization will recognize you as an asset. The work will show that you aren’t just invested in yourself, but also invested in the growth and success of the company. Be open, and suggest changes that you think will help the team, department and organization as a whole.

Participate in groups & committees

Tried & True, you will hate every minute of work if you don’t connect with the work you are doing. Whether you are just working for the check, or if you are truly interested in being at the organization you have to make sure that you still keep part of your identity in your day to day or you’ll hate your job and eventually yourself. Seek out community service events, suggest to help plan team meetings and lunches, and take time to get to know people outside of your department to truly connect with the company.